Lister-cultivator.



No. 781,011. y PATENTED JAN. 31, 1905.

' y Gl Hl LISTER GULTIVATOR.

APPLIOATION rILnD AUG. 14.71903;

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No.. 781,011. v- PATENTED JAN. 31, 1905.'.

vC. H. MELVIN. LISTER GULTIVATOR. APPLIOATIN FILED AUG. 14,1903.

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No. 781,011. PATBNTBD 11111.31, 1905. I Gl Hl I i LISTER GULTIVATom APPLICATION' FILED AUG. 14,1908.

El E @JQ No. r781,011.

, UNITED STATES' i Patented January 31, 1905.

gPATENT OFFICE. l

CHARLES H. MELVIN, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORiTO DEERE AND COMPANY, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

LISTER-CULTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '781,011, dated January 31, 1905.

l Application filed August 14,1903. Serial NQ. 169,504.

T- all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES I-I. MELVIN, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lister-Cultivators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

. clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to cultivators for working listed corn or other plants, and -it refers more particularly to two-rowWimplements-that is, machines designed for working two rows of corn at once-embodying usually two laterally-movable or flexiblyconnected frames, each formed to straddle a row and equipped with suitable cultivating v devices so that the two frames and `sets of cultivating devices may move toward and from each other horizontally to conform to kany irregularities in the rows and consequent variations in the distance between them. Certain features of the invention, however, are equally applicable to single-row machines.

The principal objects of the invention are, first, to produce an eiiicient implement of this character especially adapted for cultivating adyjac'ent'j'rows and breaking up the soil be- 'twee'r'i`` the rows whether the two sets of v'cultivating devices come close together or move fartherapart by reason of irregularities in the rows; second, to provide a shovel or other device for cultivating or stirring'up the-middle groundbetweenthe rows, with means for maintaining this shovel or device midwayvbetween the two sets y'of cultivating devices, (however, the latter may move laterally to conform to deviations in the rows;) third, to improve the general construction of the implement, particularly `with respectI to the mode 'of connection between the two sets of cultivating devices, whereby they are allowed to move to and from each other, as aforesaid, to

conform to changes in the .distance between the rows, the means for adjusting the guidewheels and cultivating devices, and the mode of connection between the draft-poles and cultivator-frames, whereby the implement or brought together.

and parts rigid therewith.

may be turned to the right or left vwithout injuringthe growing crop, and, fourth, to pro-. vide an improved construction of disk gang and means for sustaining the same whereby the disks may be made to throw either in or out or cultivate toward or from the rows by a very simple adjustment. I

The invention will rst be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and its distinguishing'features will then be pointed 60 out in the claims Jfollowing the description.

In saiddrawings, wherein corresponding parts in the dierent figures are designated by the same reference characters, Figure lis a rear view of a machine embodying my invention, showing the two sets of disk gangs separated or spread apart. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the two sets of gangs closed up Fig. 3 is a detail View in perspective of one of the movable sleeves E Fig. 4: is a top plan view of the machine with the two sets of gangs apart, showing the disks of the left set arranged to throw away from the row or furrow and those .of the right set arranged to throw toward lthe row, also showing the draftpoles in position for turning to the left; e and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the connection between the disk-gang frame and the supportingframe which sustainsit. Fig. 6 is a detail side 8O view of the connection between the tongues and front cross-bar, and Fig. 7 is a detail side view of the connection between the front cross-bar and middle short beam.

The letters A A in the drawings refer to the tongues or draft-poles of theimplement. B denotes\a cross-bar or brace, which may be pivotally and slidably joined to said tongues at their rear parts, as shown in detail in Fig. 6, and C denotes a back cross-bar, also pivotl ally connected to their rearend portions, but not directly, the ends of, the tongues being preferably bolted or pivoted to suitable devices, as in clampsv D, rigid with sleeves or hollow bars E, which are slidably fitted on opposite ends of said rear cross-bar C. so as to` movefreely in lateral or horizontal directions..

1 tongues.

which may be connected by suitable clamps or clips to the cross-bar B and the cross-bar C and on which'the drivers seat Gr may be mounted. The connection to the front crossbar B, however, is not absolutely rigid, for the clamp or clip which holds the pole to said cross-bar has a pendulum-like motion back and forth, as shown in detail in Fig. 7, which permits a slight backward and forward movement of the cross-bar, made necessary by the lateral movement of the poles when the horses are turned.

Each sleeve or hollow bar E, which constitutes the principal element of the corresponding cultivator-frame, is. mounted on a pair of supporting and guiding disks or wheels H, which straddle one of the rows of corn, and it also sustains the set of trailing cultivating devices for the same row. In t-he machine illustrated the cultivating devices are in the form of disk gangs, each set comprising a gang J and a gang J', arranged obliquely and acting at opposite sides of the row. It is understood that listed corn is planted in trenches or furrows, which of course are more or less irregular. Hence any cultivator which works in listed corn must necessarily follow the furrows, in order to avoid injuring the growing crop. In machines of the present nature the guiding-disks H, which are preferably solid-faced, travel inside the furrow, and by bearing against the confronting sides or banks thereof they guide the cultivatinggangs and keep them in proper relation to the row. Thus if the two corn-rows by reason of any irregularities in the listed furrows approach or recede from each other more or less each set of guiding-disks and cultivatinggangs is free to move laterally to conform to the deviation of its particular row, the sleeves or hollow bars E sliding freely on the crossbar C and the tongues A moving laterally with respect to the cross-bar B to correspond with the like motions of the cultivating-gangs.

The guiding-disks H are shown journaled to hangers or standards I, the upper ends of which are formed or provided with clamps or sleeves t', with binding-screws embracing and adjustably secured on the sleeves or hollow bars E, the latter being preferably square or angular in exterior formation. The said standards of the disks or furrow-wheels are shown connected by braces /t with the draft- The disk gangs are shown sustained by trailing arms K, the upper forward ends of which are pivotally connected to other clamps or sleeves it' with binding-screws, also adjustably secured on the square sleeves E, andsaid trailing arms are shown connected by an arch frame L, consisting of two iat curved bars having their lower ends suitably connected to said arms and their upper ends extending horizontally and overlapping and adjustably secured together, as by clamping-plates l and bolts. Thus the guiding-disks and the cultivating-gangs can be adjusted independently, as is frequently necessary in practice, though a construction where both the guidingdisks and the cultivating-gangs were connected to the same clamps, so 'as to be adjustable together, might be preferred in some cases. The trailing arms K are pivotally connected to their clamps, so as to permit said arms to swing vertically, and the cultivating-gangs can be raised and lowered by means of handlevers M, having their fnlcrums mounted on the cultivator-frames-that is, on the sleeves E or the clamps D-and connected to the clamping-plates l at the tops of the arch frames by rods or links N, said levers being provided with the usual locking devices or spring-actuated dogs engaging segmental racks alixed to the eultivator-frames, in this instance to the clamps D.

The middle beam F has a shank which earries a shovel O,which is intended to stir up the middle ground between the rows and loosen it and destroy all weeds or growth that may have sprung up in that place. Thus the ground will be thoroughly cultivated between the rows whether the two sets of cultivating devices remain close together or move apart more or less by reason of any divergence of the rows. It is desirable that whatever positions are occupied by the two sets of cultivating-gangs this shovel should always be located midway between them, or, in other words, should always travel midway between the rows, and this object should be accomplished automatically. To this end the opposite cul-tivator frames may be connected by links P to the opposite extremities ot' a short oscillating lever or link Q, pivoted centrally to said middle beam or pole F, the inner ends of said links P being pivoted to the opposite ends of said lever Q and their outer ends being connected to the cultivator-frames--as, for example, to the bolts which pass through the clamps D and tongues A. Consequently when the two sets of gangs move toward or from each other this eq ualizing device throws the middle beam exactly' to the center, and

-thus maintains the shovel midway between the rows. For example, should the righthand gang move outward or inward by reason of any irregularity in its row thev cross-axles B and C would be moved in their sleeves on the opposite or left-hand gang and tongue, so that the short middle beam F would automatically keep its place in the center between the two gangs.

It is of course much more convenient to cultivate adjacent rows with a machine of the present character than to cultivate alternate rows, Aand in this respect my machine is an improvement over prior implements of the same nature, which are generally constructed with the cultivating-gangs arranged to work alternate rows. If in such prior machines the cultivating-gangs were placed closer together, so

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Athe middle.

stirring-blade is always kept midway between as to 'work adjacent rows, and so disposed as to cultivate the entire middle space between the rows, then if any irregularities existed in the listed furrows the two sets of gangs would be moved either too close together,.so as to confiict, or too far apart, so as not to pulverize By my construction the central the cultivating-gangs, and thus thorough cultivation between lthe rows is insured.

Another important feature of my machine is the free horizontal swing of the tongues lor draft poles A. In machines where the tongues are rigid with the c ultivator-frames the implement cannot be turned without throwing around thev cultivating-gangs andl tearing up the'growing crop. In the present machine the tongues being pivoted in the clamps D are free toswing either to the right or left, and hence thejimplement may be tu rned in either direction without creating trouble.\A

I will now describe more particularly my improved disk gangs, which, as will be obvious,v are applicable to either single-row or double-row machines. Each gang conf sists of a suitablenumber of disks,- three being shown and indicated by the numerals l,

- 2, and 3. These are represented, as usual, of

successively different sizes, the smallest being located at the front end of the gang or foremost in the direction of the throw and the largest at the rear; but of course the disks may be of the same or any proper sizes. The

' disks -of each gang are mountedon a shaft or axle 4, carried by a trailing or rearwardlyprojecting yoke 5, which incloses the middle" disk. The yoke is secured by a single longitudinally-disposed bolt andv nut to its supporting arm or frame or to a suitable casting 6, to which the lower endsvof both the trailing arm K and draft-arch L are secured, the construction being such that the yoke may be axially adjusted about its bolt as a'center and secured in any desired position, so that the gang may be set at any inclination to conform to the incline ofl the furrow. For this purpose the yoke and casting 6 may be formed turned over to an opposite oblique position, as shown at the left of Fig. 4L, so as to throw outward simply by loosening A the nut and turning the yoke half-way around, said yoke being suitably curved or having its arm at the liquity of the shaft or axle. In either position the relation of the disks is the same,except that lthe whole gang is faced round about, for the middle disk is al ways located between the yokearms and the outer disks are located at the same distances at each side of the yoke. In certain prior machines the disk-shaft may be turned overend for end to reverse its Obliquity; but if so reversed without further adjustment there would be afgreater or lesser number of disks at each side of the disk-bearing than before.

Hence in order` to maintain the desired relation of the disks it is necessary to take the disks off the shaft, adjust the shaft longitudinally, and reset the disks in proper place thereon. improved construction, in which it is only necessary to turn over the gang. Should it be desired to arrange the disks to throw inward and have the largest disk on the inside and the smallest disk on the outside, this may be done simply by taking off the end disks, which may be securedon the shaft or axle by` appropriate means, and resetting them in interchanged positions. It is` never necessary to remove the shaft northe middle'disk either for changingtheorder of the sizes of the disks or for reversing the 'obliq uity and throw of the gang.

While the improved disk gangs herein de- This diiiiculty is obviated by my scribed are preferably employed, it will be understood that other cultivating devices, such as blades and the like, or other forms of gangs may also be'used. r

Having thus fully described my invention,

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what Iv claimvas new, and desire to secure by v Letters Patent of the United States, is-` 1. In a lister-cultivator, the combination with a cross-bar, of sleeves or hollow bars slidably fitted on opposite ends thereof, guidewheels and cultivating devices for a row carried by each sleeve, and draft-tongues pivot'- ally connectedy to said sleeves so as to swing freely horizontally.

2. In a lister-cultivator, the combination of a cross-bar, two Vframes each slidably secured thereto, each equipped with cultivating devices for working a row, each frame with its cultivating devices free to move transversely to conform to irregularities in its row, and draft s tongues pivotally connected to said frames to swing freely horizontally.

3.1In a lister-cultivator, the combination with a cross-bar, of two frames slidablethereon,` each equipped with supporting, andguid-y ing wheels and cultivating devices for work'- ingv a row, tongues pivotally connected'tosaid frames to swing horizontally, a front cross-v bar pivotallyand slidably connected to said tongues, air-intermediate longitudinal member connected to said cross-bars, a cultivating device carried `by said member, and connections between said frames and said member for maintaining the latter in central position.

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4. In a lister-cultivator, the combination with a cross-bar, of a-sleeve slidable thereon, a pair of guide-wheels adapted to straddle a row, and a pair of disk gangs arranged to operate at opposite sides of the row, each wheel and gang having its standard or'hanger attached to a clamp adjustably secured on said sleeve, whereby both the guide-wheels and the gangs may be independently adjusted transversely with relation to each other.

5. In a lister-cultivator, Vthe combination with a draft-frame, of a reversible disk gang comprising an oblique shaft having a number of disks mounted thereon, and a longitudinally-disposed supporting-yoke for the shaft inelosing the middle disk, said yoke being intermediately secured to the frame bya single longitudinally-disposed bolt and adjustable axially around the same to vary the inclination of the shaft.

6. In a cultivator, the combination with a draft-frame, of a trailing yoke carryinga diskshaft, said yoke being secured to said frame by a single longitudinally-disposed fasteningbolt, annular confronting faces on the yoke and frame around said bolt, and a wedgeshaped washer interposed between said faces adapted to be set in different positions to permit an angular adjustment between said yoke and frame.

7. In a cultivator, the combination with a draft-frame of a trailing eultivator-gang-s'ustaining member, and a suitable supportingbracket therefor, said member being secured to said bracket by a single longitudinally-disposed fastening-bolt and having confronting annular ratchet-surfaces, and an interposed wedge-shaped washer having opposite corresponding ratchet-surfaces.

8. In a cultivator, the combination with a` draft-frame, of 'a reversible disk gang comprising an oblique shaft having a number of disks mounted thereon, and a trailing supportingyoke therefor secured intermediately to said frame by a single longitudinally-disposed bolt and having unequal arms, the shorter and longer ones of which are connected respectively to forward and rearward parts of said shaft.

9. In a lister-cultivator, the combination of two flexibly-connected frames equipped with cultivatingdevices for working a row, tongues 'pivotally connected to said frames to swing horizontally, a front cross-bar pivotally and slidably connected to said tongues, an intermediate member carrying a cultivating device, and connections between said frames and said member for maintaining the latter in central position. J

10. In a lister-cultivator, the combination of a main frame comprising two parallel crossbars, two iieXibly-connected and transverselymovable frames equipped with cultivatingdevices connected to the rear cross-bar, and tongues pivotally attached to said frames to swing horizontally and pivotally and slidably attached to the front cross-bar.

1l. In a lister-culti\f'ator, the combination of a main frame comprising two parallel crossbars, two flexibly-connected and transverselymovable frames equipped with cultivating devices connected to the rear cross-bar, tongues pivotally attached to said frames to swing horizontally and pivotally and slidably attached to the front cross-bar, an intermediate longitudinal member connected to said crossbars and carrying acentral cultivating device, a lever centrally pivoted to said member, and links connecting the opposite ends of said lever with said iieXibly-connected frames.

12. In a lister-eultiif'ator, the combination with a rear cross-bar, of two iiexibly-connected and transverselymovable frames connected thereto equipped with cultivating devices, tongues pivotally connected to said frames to swing horizontally, a front cross-bar slidabl y and pivotally connected to said tongues, an intermediate longitudinal member secured to said rear cross-bar and having a pendulumlike connection to the front cross-bar, and a drivers seat mounted on said intermediate member.

13. In a lister-cultivator, the combination with a rear cross-bar, of two iiexibly-eolmected and transversely movable frames connected thereto equipped with cultivating' devices, tongues pivotally connected to said fran'les to swing horizontally, a front cross-bar slidably and pivotally connected to said tongues, an intermediate longitudinal member secured to said rear cross-bar and having a pendulumlike connection to the front cross-bar, and connections between said frames and said member for maintaining the latter in medial position.

14. In a lister-cultivator, the combination of a pair of fiexibly-connected frames adapted to move transversely to conform to irregularities in the rows, each equipped with cultivating devices for working a row, d raft-tongues pivotally connected to said frames to swing freely horizontally, and a brace slidably and pivotally connected to said draft-tongues.

In testimony whereof I aliix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. M IC LVI N.

Witn ess es (l1-IAS. H. Porn, SCHILLER HosFoRD.

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